Confectionery products for eating take many varied forms. Candies often are picked up by hand for consumption. Other confectionery products such as frozen ice cream, fruit-flavored frozen liquids, and hard candy suckers are typically attached to a handle. The confectionery product envelopes an upper portion of the handle. A person eating the confectionery product holds a lower portion of the handle to orient the product during consumption. The handle thereafter is discarded. Often these handles are made of wood or food-grade plastic.
As a further inducement to purchase and consume confectionery items, handles have been constructed with ornamental features and characters. The ornamental character typically is molded integral with the handle. The confectionery product then envelopes the character. The ornamental features and characters are revealed by consuming the confectionery product. After the confectionery product was completely consumed, the ornamental character could be used for play. Other handles have been made of a hollow tube having slotted openings. Following consumption of the confectionery product, the handle could be used as a wind instrument, such as a whistle and the like, for play.
While providing an additional incentive to purchase a confectionery product, the ornamental characters attached to the handles had drawbacks. The handle restricted the play use of the ornamental character. The character would be carried by the handle for play. Separating the ornamental character from the handle however, would leave a rough and potentially sharp projection which may prevent the ornamental character from sitting evenly, or may cause injury to a person using the separated character for play.
To further encourage purchase of confectionery products, the novelty item also takes the form of contest entry blank or mail-in redemption coupons. Typically these blanks and coupons are printed as part of the wrapper. Such wrappers however, may become sticky from the confectionery product or torn. This makes it difficult to use the entry form or the coupon.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved holder for confectionery products which contains a novelty item as a premium.